A Torrid Romance
by CrazyRabidChicken of Nibelheim
Summary: I was challenged by BUTTEREDROSIE to write a cute VincentxCloud fic. Obviously I failed miserably, and a strange creature begot of sugar high and teenaged hormones was born. Trust me, we do NOT take ourselves seriously here.


Challenge: Cute VincentxCloud

Challenge: Cute VincentxCloud

Only they could manage to be bored in a forest full of monsters. Cloud sighed, hefting First Tsurugi over one shoulder in readiness for any surprise that might come their way, having finished cleaning it of the sticky monstrocity that was fiend blood. The blonde swordsman glanced over at his brooding companion, who was still cleaning Cerberus meticulously.

Vincent Valentine's uneven lengths of black hair obscured his face so that Cloud could not see his expression, but he knew that it was one of utmost care and attentiveness that he showed for nothing else. The gunman moved seamlessly, no effort wasted in his movements, such that every action was done with utter precision.

Cloud's grip on Tsurugi was loosening as he stared, and it wasn't until Vincent's blood-colored gaze flickered upward that Cloud heard the splattering thud of his sword falling into the mud. His lightly freckled cheeks reddened slightly as he swept it off the ground again. A raised eyebrow asked a wordless question of Cloud.

"I…got distracted." Both eyebrows now, fully exposing the otherwise obscured sections of pale, creamy skin between eyebrow and lid before a fringe of dark lashes. Night's shadows flickered across Vincent's face, intensifying the separate colors of white, red, and black.

"If you would prefer I took watch tonight…"

"No, I'm fine with watching." Cloud resisted to smack a hand to his forehead when he realized how that sounded. Vincent appeared either not to notice or to ignore Cloud. Storing away his cleaning supplies in the deep fathomless expanses of his pockets, Vincent placed Cerberus back in its holster and relaxed into his trademarked sitting position that was more of a lounge than anything.

"I presume you've been contacted by Tifa as to a rendezvous—"

"No," Cloud said, accidentally cutting Vincent off. Valentine's deep rumble was music to Cloud's ears; how could he have been so careless as to end it any sooner than was necessary.

"I see." Vincent reclined, utilizing his pack slung across a fallen log as his pillow. His eyes slipped shut in anticipation of sleep, something that Cloud had rarely seen Vincent do before. When nothing came crashing out of the abyss to kill them all, Cloud decided to sit. The spiky-haired blonde sat some three feet away from Vincent, forearms resting on his knees. The proximity had to be known to the gunman, but the hidden crimson eyes did not open, so Cloud stayed where he was.

All of a sudden, a fiendish-looking monster burst from the trees, slavering and brandishing its claws behind Cloud. His reaction was too slow and it slammed into him from behind, tearing a gash in his side and sending him flying into…Vincent.

The ex-Turk was awake and moving in an instant, pulling Cloud roughly to one side with his clawed left hand, drawing Cerberus with the other in a motion that was blurred to the eye. One shot, two shots, and the beast lay dead, soaking the ground with its blood. Cloud groaned and made an effort to sit up. Pain was ripping through the nerves in his back to his brain, as well as his shoulder where Valentine's claws had dug in.

Vincent was at his side immediately, human hand steadying him.

"Cloud, I'm sorry," his voice was filled with remorse, "are you injured?" Cloud wouldn't say anything about his shoulder; he couldn't let Vincent know he had hurt him in anyway. No, it was all the monster.

"Here," he motioned to the side opposite of the one Vincent was on. "It got a slash at me from behind." Before he realized what was happening, Vincent was at his other side with a speed only comparable to Loz's near teleportation. Cloud's cheeks colored slightly as Vincent's claw cut through the remaining cloth obscuring his wound tenderly, dark brows furrowing closer and closer together. Vincent was biting his lip in such a way that Cloud knew if he were anyone else he'd be cursing now.

Seeing no other alternative, Vincent's hands found his own cloak, tearing a length of it from the bottom then resuming their attentions to Cloud. With little movement on Cloud's part, the section of cloth was bound tight across the wound to his torso. Cloud's jaw clenched at the pressure when Vincent tied it off.

"It is necessary to apply pressure to help stop the bleeding," Vincent said. Cloud knew this, had dealt with wounds before, but it seemed that Vincent _wanted_ to explain his actions in order to apologize for Cloud's discomfort.

"Is there anything more I can do?" Cloud shook his head, leaning against the same log that Vincent had used as a pillow earlier. Vincent's gloved right hand reached across, catching Cloud from the opposite side of his face to still him. Cloud didn't move, but looked over Vincent questioningly. The dark-haired man's fingers drew under Cloud's chin slowly, rising to squeeze a bit of blood from a piece of spiked blonde hair.

"Very well," Vincent murmured softly.

butteredrosie's contribution;

Then Vincento valentine strode forward manfully to seize his love with force. His rippling pecs shone with the sweat of his concern. "Can you ever forgive me?" He asked gently, stroking cloud's golden locks. The fragile expression on the blonde warrior's fce and his heaving bosom betrayed the depth of his feeling.

...Fin...


End file.
